MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

As the year winds down, we want to send our Holiday Greetings to one and all and thank each of you for your friendship and support over the past couple of years. We love you all and thank you for being our friends and extended family.

One year ago I was laying around in a recliner chair not able to do too much. I was in quite a lot of pain and trying to cope with the reconstruction of my stomach and trying to deal with the after-effects of surgery. Starting in March of this year I timidly started approaching a normal life and started back to work on a very part-time basis. I did a pretty good job of picking up speed and soon was back to a somewhat normal activity and have been going eight to twelve hours a day for four or five months now. I did have my flare ups and got set back a few times - but I am going full speed ahead now. Of course - full speed at my current age is less than half speed not too many years ago, but it's okay. I'm okay with the speed I'm going now. In fact, I don't want to go any faster. I get up to go get something now and by the time I get there I have forgotten what I got up to go get. Just think the mess I would be in if I went any faster!

As you might know, I went down to Houston for tests in October in preparation for surgery in November. I failed the tests - they found a new aneurysm in my right let (that makes three now - one in each leg and one in my chest) and they weren't too happy with the blood clots in my right leg - so they postponed the surgery. I am scheduled to go back for another round of tests in early January to see if I can have the surgery for the hernia. It has gotten to be a real pain in the - stomach area (I bet you thought I was going to say something else!) and I would really like to get it taken care of. I have been studying real hard with the hope that I can pass the test this time. Unfortunately this is one test you can't cram for or even cheat on. I did go to my heart surgeon here and had another doppler exam with the hope of finding something I could do or could stop doing that would reduce or eliminate the blood clots and aneurysms - but no such luck. They did say I have one blood clot in one of my main arteries in my right leg that extends from my groin all the way down my leg to below my knee, but they didn't give me any remedies to stop it or correct it. Guess I'm on my own as far as remedies are concerned. That could be dangerous! I'm thinking some home-made brew might be the solution!

I do have a pretty constant pain - sometimes pretty severe - in the abdominal area, but I am usually okay with pain. I can deal with most pain without too much problem. The big problem is mental. Sometimes I have to work pretty hard to keep my head screwed on straight. It is a little easy to get down in the dumps and start thinking negative and I can't tolerate that. I feel a positive attitude is what has gotten me through this thing so far, and I refuse to let myself get negative now. Sometimes I combine the two attitudes - I am positive that I am being negative and that is when I have to force myself to change my thought process.

All in all - I am in pretty good shape for the shape I am in and I think I might be clunking along for a few more miles once I get the repairs made. I am okay - everything is okay and just need to get this little event over with so I can start practicing for Olympics or the UNM football team.

My good wife, Mary, has recovered nicely from her hip replacement. She is too stubborn to be down too long. She was cheating on the rules of behavior given to her by her doctor and was up doing things she wasn't supposed to be doing just as soon as she got me out of the house. I kept coming home finding that heavy furniture had been moved, yard work had been done, things had been done which required someone to get up on a ladder. And when I cautiously agreed that it was okay for her to drive herself to an appointment and she ended up traveling all over town to the shopping centers, to lunch, to the hairdresser, etc. - I gave up on trying to be her warden. She did fall down in the yard while doing yard work and I didn't find out about that until she accidently told me she had an appointment with her surgeon. But, she is still planning on going to Egypt in January and I have learned - a long time ago - that there is nothing that is going to stop her. I am only grateful that she is the only stubborn person in the family. Just think what it would be like if I was that way.

Our son, John Leslie, in Dallas is through with his chemo - at least for now. He still has a problem with his lungs and a pretty constant cough. This was supposedly caused by some of the medication he was on. He is going to another pulmonary doctor for a second opinion and if that doesn't help I think he will go on down to Houston to MDAnderson for yet another opinion. I wanted him to go to MDAnderson initially, but it is a lot closer for him, and it is easier if he can get it taken care of in Dallas.

JL came over for Thanksgiving with four of their children. They went over to Oklahoma and picked up Sarah from college and Annie, Emily and Andrew and Sarah all came over for the big turkey day. Rebekah is still in England where she is attending school as a recipent of the Marshall scholarship program. She is working on her doctorate and will soon be smarter than her grandpa. Who isn't? Christopher had to stay home as he has a new job in Dallas and didn't want to take off and Leslea is in management at a large grocery chain and at Thanksgiving no one gets to take off. But, even missing a few members of the family, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were joined by Scott and Sheri and Sheri's mother for a great Thanksgiving dinner.

Andrew and Maria are coming in from Florida to spend a few days with us over Christmas. Andrew called a few weeks ago and talked about how cold it was in Florida. He said it had dropped down to sixty degrees. At the time, that sounded like a heat wave to us. We are looking forward to seeing them.

Scott and Sheri continue to take care of us old people here in Albuquerque. They have been such a blessing in so many ways and we are so grateful to them for being here for us. I should be taking care of Scott, but the roles are reversed here - he takes care of me. He goes to most of my doctor appointments and he and the doctor discuss my condition, my medication and treatment and I just sit there and listen. He and Sheri always research everything very thoroughly on the computer and it is because of them I went to MDAnderson and have been given, or taken off, some of the medications. Before we went down for the tests for the hernia surgery they did their research and almost immediately Scott started quizzing the doctor on what type of surgery he planned to do. They had discovered that the traditional surgery for this operation and been found to have some flaws and there was a pretty high mortlity rate for this surgery. I think the doctor was quite surprised that Scott was so knowledgeable about this subject, but fortunately he too was not in favor of the traditional surgery. As the plastic surgeon and Dr. Scott (my son) discussed my condition I was happy to just sit there as the token patient. It works for me!

It is going to be a great year for me and I wish the same to all of you. I appreciate your friendship and your help and your prayers. May God Bless you this coming year and may everything in 2009 be great for you - beyond your expectations!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!!

AL